Sunderland go down 1-0 to Sacramento Republic in opening game of US tour

Chris Young

The imminent transfer breakthrough which Sunderland are eyeing will come at an opportune moment for Dick Advocaat.

Short of numbers at this early stage of pre-season, Advocaat was again forced to adopt an attitude of make-do-or-mend in Sunderland’s first friendly defeat of the summer, here in California.

Sunderland head coach Dick Advocaat

It was all very lopsided - Jermain Defoe on the left wing during the first half, young centre-half Tom Beadling at left-back, and then even more dramatically after the break, Liam Bridcutt and Jack Rodwell occupying the two full-back slots.

With Advocaat’s men just two friendlies down, it’s not a huge concern with minutes on the pitch - wherever they are playing - the most crucial aspect of proceedings for Sunderland’s players.

But with Sunderland still looking for three or four, at least until Jeremain Lens can rubber-stamp his move, then there’s little chance for Advocaat to fine-tune until then.

The absence of Adam Johnson, Patrick van Aanholt and Sebastian Coates from the trip to North America so far due to visa issues, only exacerbates the situation.

Advocaat will hope for much, much better when Sunderland face Mexican outfit Club de Futbol Pachuca on Friday.

Chris Young, SAFC reporter

It perhaps explained why Sunderland fell away in the second half of proceedings so dramatically in the early hours of this morning after they had been reasonably sharp during the opening 45 minutes.

One re-jig too many ruined any continuity and allowed Sacramento Republic to cut Sunderland open with alarming regularity after the break.

It was alarming too. It could easily have been three or four to the hosts, who are remember, operating in the third tier of the American league structure.

Sunderland had passed the ball okay in the opening exchanges, even though they struggled to create anything clearcut.

Defoe produced the first meaningful effort on goal in the 25th minute when he shot just wide after finding half-a-yard in a scramble on the edge of the area.

But against the run of play, Sacramento came desperately close to opening the deadlock in the 35th minute when right-back Emrah Klimenta’s low cross from the right picked out striker Kaleemullah on the edge of the box, whose shot bobbled just past the post.